Dow Jones Industrial Average Ends Lower; Nasdaq Nabs New High

Modest early losses for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) spiraled by midday. In fact, the Dow was staring at a triple-digit deficit at one point, as investors took in a mixed round of jobs data ahead of tomorrow's highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report. A sharp sell-off in retail and bank shares also weighed on stocks -- and overshadowed rising crude oil prices -- while the U.S. dollar continued to retreat from the 14-year high it touched earlier this week. Nevertheless, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP) managed to outperform its peers and settle at a new record closing high.
 
Continue reading for more on today's market, including: 

• These 2 retail stocks reeled after holidays sales fell flat -- while this sector peer gave up a key technical level. 
• Option bears are eyeing a steep drop for this outperforming gold stock.
• Why JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s (NYSE:JPM) Trump rally could still have room to run.
• Plus... GoPro sees a rare surge in call volume, Amazon bucks the bearish retail bias, and the trendline that could send this software stock lower. 
  

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 19,899.29) dropped 42.9 points, or 0.2%. Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) led 16 blue-chip stocks lower, slipping 1.6%. Visa Inc (NYSE:V) tracked 13 gainers by adding 1.2%, and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) finished the day flat. 

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 2,269.00) gave up 1.8 points, or less than 0.1%. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 5,487.94) bucked the downbeat trend, adding 10.9 points, or 0.2%, to notch a record closing high.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX - 11.67) fell 0.2 point, or 1.5%.

5 Items on Our Radar Today

1. In his latest Twitter attack against automakers taking business abroad, President-elect Donald Trump took aim at Japanese carmaker Toyota over plans to build a plant in Mexico. In other Trump-related news, a Massachusetts sheriff suggested prison inmates from around the country could be used as laborers to build the wall along the border with Mexico the president-elect promised during the campaign. (Bloomberg; Reuters)
2. A top executive at Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) said today that she "can't say with confidence one way or the other" whether the planned purchased of Yahoo! Inc.'s (NASDAQ:YHOO) core internet business will happen. The deal has been in doubt in recent months after Yahoo reported two major data breaches. (CNBC)
3. Why this rare batch of call players may have set their sights on GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO). 
4. Other retailers' losses seem to be Amazon.com, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMZN) gain, and option bulls have taken notice.
5. The trendline that could send this software stock sliding.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Commodities:

A dip in U.S. crude stockpiles and signs of an output cut from Saudi Arabia overshadowed a rise in domestic gasoline and distillate inventories, and helped oil prices swing higher by session's end. Crude for February delivery ultimately added 50 cents, or 0.9%, to close at $53.76 per barrel.

Meanwhile, February-dated gold prices tacked on $16, or 1.4%, to close at $1,181.30 an ounce -- the highest settlement since Nov. 29. Driving the gains today was a continued pullback in the U.S. dollar, as well as this morning's disappointing ADP employment report.